50 Outdoor Parties to Throw Your Summer Birthday Child

With two cold-weather babies, I've always envied moms who could plan an outdoor birthday party and take advantage of their backyard or local park. Nature makes the great outdoors ideal for garden parties, water games, messy projects, and sporting events — and best of all, they can be done at a fraction of the price of indoor ones without rental fees.

Check out these fun parties you can throw right in the yard, without ever worrying about how you'll fit all those kids in your home!

Additional reporting by Lauren Harano

01

A Cowgirl-Chic Birthday Party

A cowgirl-chic birthday party has it all — a stitched-burlap invitation, a gorgeous ruffle cake, clever treats, and a petting zoo. So get ready to meet your inner cowgirl, 'cause this party is going to bring her out! Hee haw!

02

A Floral Party

A flower-filled birthday party is full of beautiful details like fabric rosettes, hints of burlap, and two beautiful food stations — one for brunch and one for desserts! If your yard is in bloom, then it will add to the sweetness of the afternoon.

03

A Scavenger Hunt Party

Put lil sleuths to work with a detective party at the local park that plays on their natural curiosities.

04

A Ghostbusters Party

A Ghostbusters-themed party includes a giant slime cake, custom cookies, cake pops, and homemade proton packs for the guests to wear — complete with silly string to fight oncoming apparitions. Keep the house clean by taking the silly string fight outside!

05

An Alice in Wonderland Birthday Party

Fall down the rabbit hole and into this Alice in Wonderland birthday party! With Lewis Carroll's classic tale as your guide, a magical backyard afternoon tea party in Wonderland will delight for your girl's next birthday celebration.

06

A Wet and Wild Wipeout Party

This water-obstacle-filled party would make any tot smile. With slippery slides, bouncing balls, and plenty of opportunities for getting wet and wild, this party is perfect for kids looking for a way to keep cool.

07

Afternoon Scavenger Hunt

Have a scavenger hunt! Little toys, snacks, and favors can be hidden along a path to be hunted for. Inexpensive tote bags are a great way for kids to collect the items that they gather on the hunt. Consider embellishing them with a party motif, or have the kids personalize them with some basic craft supplies.

08

An Angry Birds Birthday Party

We just can't get enough of Angry Birds, so it's safe to say that an Angry Birds-themed birthday party is a guaranteed hit! Look for some life-sized Angry Birds to put in the backyard!

09

Butterfly Garden Birthday Party

A little girl is never too young to host a garden party! A butterfly garden birthday party should feature a whimsical backyard dessert table tent and lots of special handmade details for a beautiful birthday celebration.

10

A Dr. Seuss-Themed Birthday Party

For a bright and whimsical birthday theme, Mama doesn't have to look further than baby's favorite books for inspiration! Dr. Seuss classics — like The Cat in the Hat and One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish! — are filled with colorful characters that can be used to decorate a very special Dr. Seuss-themed party for your lil one's next birthday.

11

A Peter Pan Party

Transform your yard into Never Never Land and complete the theme with eye patches, tattoos, pixie dust, and tepee photo stations for the lost boys attending to enjoy in their best Peter Pan costumes.

12

A Fireman Party

It's the sound of the siren, the pressure of the hose, the shiny polished trucks, and the fearlessness of firefighters that fascinate youngsters. With a fireman birthday bash at your local station, you'll have a fiery success!

13

An Outdoor Movie Party

No reason to sit inside and watch your lil one's favorite flick when the weather's nice. Find an inflatable movie screen so your tot can screen their favorite film for their friends. Depending on your child's age, create a true red carpet entry to your yard, complete with "photographers" snapping their every move. A menu filled with favorite theater snacks will keep everyone munching throughout the showing.

14

A Pirate Party

Ahoy, mate! Lil pirates will love boarding your backyard pirate ship to set sail for hidden treasures.

15

A Bedtime Story Party

For an evening birthday party, lay some blankets on the lawn, have some dessert, and celebrate with an outdoor "story hour" that the kids are sure to love (perhaps a favorite of the birthday boy or girl's choosing). Ice cream is always a crowd-pleasing favorite in the Summer, so consider root beer floats or ice cream sundaes.

For older kids, set up a few activities like card games and board games, and for the young ones, try setting up a simple craft station, and make easy and creative party favors for everyone to take home.

16

A Colorful, Clever Rainbow Paint Birthday Party

We all want to foster creativity in our children, but we don't necessarily want the mess in our house! This clever rainbow paint party is full of unbelievably creative details and activities, including bright flower displays and rainbow table settings.

17

Olympic Party

For an international take on the traditional backyard games, partygoers can be divided into teams based on the colors of the Olympic rings and compete in classic potato sack races, a ladder run (jumping through the rungs of a wooden ladder laid flat on the ground), water balloon races, rope swings over an inflatable kiddie pool, etc. Conclude the races with an award ceremony where everyone receives a medal, and then gather the teams together for a meal of international flavors.

18

A Rainbow Birthday Party

Perfect for a girl or a boy, a rainbow birthday party is easy to plan and execute! Colorful decorative items — like paper lanterns and polka-dot pinwheels — and one-of-a-kind party hats make this party extra cheerful.

19

A Green-Minded "Plant a Seed" Birthday Party

A eco-friendly planting party is as green as it gets . . . and can be thrown on a budget too! Of course, add lots of seeds to inspire little gardeners and their future green thumbs.

20

A Girlie Camping-Themed Birthday Party

If your girlie girl has a romantic notion of camping, you don't want to miss this stylish girlie camping-themed birthday party. It's the camping party little girls' dreams are made of!

21

A County Fair Party

Take tots on a trip to the county fair with a retro-inspired party. Play some fun old games and indulge in traditional fair treats. Giddy up!

22

A Strawberry Shortcake Party

A Strawberry Shortcake-themed party just screams Summer, when the sweet berries are in season!

23

A Carousel and Chalkboard Tribute Party

A pastel carousel-inspired party with gorgeous backdrops and table coverings, sweet desserts, and tons of thoughtful carousel-themed extras will be a birthday party to remember.

24

A Camping-Inspired First Birthday Party

Summer is the season for camping, and a backyard camping-inspired party will make little one's dreams come true.

25

A Sweet and Sunny Lemonade Party

A adorable, sweet, and sunny lemonade party is Summer perfection. If you're dreaming of lemonade-filled warm days, this party will make the waiting so much sweeter.

26

Minigolf Party

For lil fans of the PGA Tour, create a backyard golf course using croquet and toy golf sets. Using some of your lil one's bigger toys, add obstacles to the course too.

27

A Lorax-Inspired Birthday Party

An imaginative, intricate, and fanciful Lorax party can have an almost overwhelming amount of (fun) detail. Create a colorful place for kids to play and let their imaginations run free.

28

A Mad-Scientist Birthday Party

What little one wouldn't be mad for a party full of edible treats that look like atom balls, lab rats, brains, frogs, and bacteria culture? A mad-scientist party truly has something for every budding lab rat, including a ton of beakers, test tubes, petri dishes, and lab googles. While this bash might look like it could end in a bang (and not the good kind), the only explosion that will occur at this birthday party is an outburst of fun!

29

A Cool Construction Birthday Party

Moms of boys know it can be hard to translate their guys' greatest obsessions into adorable parties, but this soiree managed to make construction cute. We dig it!

30

A Supersweet Up-Inspired Party

Blow your guests away (up, up, and away, that is) with an Up-inspired birthday bash. The props can be mostly DIY projects that are on the vintage side, from globes to grape soda and 'Ellie badges.' And of course, be sure to have lots of balloons.

31

A Gorgeous Glamping Party

An outdoor glamping party is creative, cute, and totally easy. Pitch a small tent and fill it with pillows, treats, and firefly string lights and indulge in s'mores and other camp-side goodies.

32

A Mermaid Birthday Party Fit For an Underwater Princess

Deep dive under the sea and create a wonderful mermaid-themed party. Seashells, starfish, and sand dollars will make the best decor as well as bright blue balloons and whimsical table settings. Bring the magic of the ocean to your own backyard.

33

A Bold, Candy-Colored Birthday Party

A summertime bash calls for bright colors, outdoor games, and sweet, sweet fun. Full of candy colors and treats, bold patterns, and plenty of backyard fun, this party will be the brightest on the block.

34

A Too-Too Cute Teacup Birthday Party

With subtle and sweet touches of tulle, pom garland, and tasty bite-sized treats, a tea-party-themed birthday bash will be the cutest of them all. Pastel touches and delicate decor will make this party perfectly whimsical.

35

A Safari Birthday Party For an Animal-Lovin' Little One

Go wild with a safari-themed birthday party! Use the greenery in your backyard to set the theme and take off from there. Animal prints are essential, so mix and match as many as you can into the decor. Small animal toys and trinkets will make this theme come to life.

36

A Dreamy Under-the-Sea Birthday Party

Bring the ocean to your backyard with an under-the-sea themed party. Splish and splash in the fun of the sea with sailboat trinkets, big blue balloons, and cute fish decorations. Remember, fish are friends, not food!

37

A Dinosaur Birthday Bash

Give your little one a birthday of the ages with a dinosaur-themed party. Designate a spot for the party attendees to dig up fossils of their own and find hidden treasures right in your backyard. This party will be roarin'!

38

A Sweet Barnyard Birthday Party

More cowbell, please! A barnyard party is the perfect opportunity to turn your backyard into the wild, wild west. Checked tablecloths and bright red balloons will bring this theme to life. Set up an area for the little ones to swing dance and this party will be a blast!

39

A Brave Birthday Party

Create a whimsical birthday party that appeals to the inner rebel-princess in all of us. Evoke a sense of being within the enchanting forest that Merida encounters during her adventure by using natural elements like moss and tree stumps to display the food. Include activities like "haggis" toss, archery, and design-your-own coats of arms and watch as little one's embrace their inner wild princess.

40

A Sky-High Airplane Birthday Party

Take your little one's love of planes to a whole new level by creating an inventive party full of high-flying clouds, DIY crafts, and cute treats. The sky is the limit, so get creative!

41

A Moana Party

Turn your little one's party into a tropical paradise with the help of Moana. Colorful flowers and beachy touches will make this party feel like a Disney dream.

42

An Ice Cream Party

The best kind of party is an ice cream party! Pastel-colored decor will enhance the theme of your party and give it a playful, sweet vibe. Ice cream shaped decor can easily be made with colored paper and tissue pom-poms. Get creative, and make it as sweet as sugar!

43

A Flamingo Party

Hello, pink! A flamingo party combines all things Summer into one bright bash. Palm tree desserts and vibrant pink balloons will make this party lively and energetic.

44

A Rustic Western Party

Take your little one back to the unruly West with a rustic cowboy bash. Give your party a DIY touch by displaying mason jars with hay and straw throughout the venue, as well as tiny succulents. Outdoor lanterns and bull skull decor will make this theme complete.

45

A Unicorn Party

Make your little one's birthday magical with a unicorn-themed party. Incorporate bright colors, lively decor, and rainbow accents to elevate the theme. Decorate treats with rainbow hues and unicorn horns to make the party even sweeter.

46

A Rubber Duck Party

Bubbles, balloons, and bathing essentials will make a rubber duck party a whole new kind of soirée. Set up small pools of water around your backyard, and let little ones take their ducks for a swim. Opt for light blue and yellow hues to make the theme cohesive and cute.

47

A Bambi-Themed Party

A childhood favorite, Bambi is all things endearing and adorable. A party with this theme can be garnished with flowers of all kinds and have tasteful forest touches, like mushroom accessories and wooden accents. Plush Bambi and Thumper toys can be displayed around the party to bring this theme to life.

48

A Doughnut Party

How sweet is a doughnut-themed party?! Decorate your space with bright balloons, doughnut decor, and of course, more than a couple of sweet treats. Pastel colors will make this theme feel even more playful and fun.

49

A Cactus Party

If your little one has a love for plants, they will adore having a cactus-themed party. Put out an array of succulents, flowers, and other greenery that the children can enjoy along with watering cans that they can use. Set up a station for them to decorate their water cans to add an activity.

50

A Dog-Themed Party

The dog days are over, because a dog-themed party is fun for all ages! This paw-some theme can be complete with plush toys to decorate and little sweets that resemble dog treats and kibble. This party will have every animal-lover in awe.